SERIES: WISDOM FROM ABOVE
MESSAGE: Purity
TEXT: James 3:13-18
MESSAGE BY: Pastor J Carr

Wisdom:
- Babel vs. Bethel
- Moon vs. Sun

Purity:
- James. 3:17
- Wisdom is first and foremost pure
- What is purity?
- James 1:27
- Undefiled, unstained
- By the world, the flesh, and the devil
- James 3:15
- Not only negative - mainly positive
- James 4:8
- “…To will one thing” and not be “double-minded”
- But the negative is there
- James 4:7 - "resist”

The World, The Flesh, & The Devil:
- Classical music analogy
- Classical music = sin
- Orchestra (of Bach’s kids) = the flesh
- Conductor/mayor = the devil
- City of Vienna = the world

The Devil:
- John 8:44
- Murderer: aims to destroy life
- Liar: means/weapons are lies
- 1 Peter 5:8-9
- Psalm 24:4
- Pure heart = do not lift up soul to falsehood
- v. 6 - seek God alone

The World:
- Fire at Beverly Hills supper club
- Companions in complacency
- Walter Bailey - courage and compassion

The Flesh:
- Our bodies/desires dominated by sin
- Romans 6-7 (6:6;12)
- Horse and rider
- Overcome in union with Jesus who overcame
- Psalm 14:1 - practical atheism = foolishness

Positive Purity:
- Beholding Glory and becoming whole
- Radical recentering

Discussion questions:

What is purity?

What do you think of?

What is a negative vs. positive view of purity?

How might a purely negative understanding of purity be unhelpful?

How does the Devil seek to destroy us?

What kind of lies does he want you to believe?

What other lies do you see him deceiving people with?

How do you resist him?

How does the world’s opposition play out?

How are you tempted by it?

How does the flesh sabotage our souls?

In what ways directions does your horse (flesh) run off

How might you try to train it?

How do you understand how the world, the flesh, and the devil work together?

How can we mount a resistance?